Coat-adjuster



-3 Shee-tsShee t 1.'

(No Model.)

W. FARR. GOAT ADJUSTER.

Patenized Nov. 5, 1895.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR,

ATTORNEYS.

NAM. PNUTO-UTHQWASHINGI'ON. D.C.

WITN (No Model.) I I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. FARR.

- GOAT ADJUSTER.

No; 549,253. Patented Nov. 5, 1895.

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QM INVENTOR.

- ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 3 ShGts-Shet -3'.

' W. PARRY.

WITNES ZM/ IN VENTOR W I ATTORNEYS.

ANDREW BJSRAHAM. FHOTO-UTNOYWASHINGTDNJ C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lVILLIAM PARR, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

COAT-ADJ USTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,253, dated November 5, 1895. Application filed July 2, 1895. Serial No. 554,691. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Coat-Adjusters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the garment lifting or adjusting devices which are employed for assisting in putting on a coat or similar garment.

My invention has for its object to provide a convenient device of this kind which shall eifectually lift the coat upon the shoulders and in which the user has complete and independent control of the lifting mechanism and the garment holders or clasps, so that the garment may be properly drawn upon the shoulders by the lifting mechanism before being released by the clasps.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets, Figure l is a front elevation of a hat-rack provided with my improved coat-adjuster. Fig. 2 is a rear View, partly in section, of the adjuster and operating parts on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section in line 3 3, Fig. 2, showing the adjuster elevated. Fig. 4 is a similar section in line 4 4, Fig. 2, showing the same lowered. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, in line-5 5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detached front View of the slide and the garment-clasping devices on an enlarged scale.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the base of a hat-rack of any ordinary construction, and B is an upright casing forming preferably, the central part of the body of the rack, as shown in Fig. 1, and containing the actuating parts of the coat-adjuster.

O is a vertically-movable slide or carrier, which is guided in an upright slot 1), formed in the front wall of the casing B, and which carries the garment holders or clasps. This slide preferably consists of a face-plate or front bar 0, overlapping the outer side of the guide-slot, an inner bar 0, overlapping the inner side of the slot, and blocks 0 connecting the two bars and sliding in the slot.

D is a depending weight, which tends to raise the slide to the upper end of the guide- I slot, and which is connected with the slide by a chain or cord (Z, passing over a guidewheel (1, journaled in the upper portion of the casing. The weight D moves in a pocket or compartment D of the casing. In order to prevent a sudden and violent descent of the weight when the slide is released, the

weight is connected by a vertical rod 6 with the piston of a pneumatic cylinder E, which checks the movements of the weight. The slide is preferably provided at its upper and lower ends with rubber blocks or impactcushions f, which strike the upper and lower ends ofvthe guide-slot.

g is a catch or detent-pawl pivoted on the inner side of the front wall of the casing and adapted to engage with an upright ratchetbar g secured to the rear side of the slide for holding the latter against upward movement under the force of the weight. The detent shown in the drawings consists of a bellcrank lever having a U-shaped vertical arm, the cross-bar g of which forms the engaging face of the detent. This upper arm is arranged to swing toward and from the front wall of the casing, so that upon depressing the lower horizontal arm of the bell-crank the cross-bar of the upper arm is withdrawn from engagement with the ratchet-bar of the slide, thereby releasing the latter and permitting the weight to lift it.

H is a treadle whereby the detent is withdrawn, and which is connected with the lower arm of the same by a rod h. h isa returnspring interposed between the lower arm of the detent and a bracket h and tending to swing the detent into engagement with the ratchetbar of the slide. The treadle H is pivoted in the lower portion of the casing and projects forward through the front wall thereof, so that a person standing before the hat-rack can conveniently depress the treadle.

I represents a bracket extending forwardly from the slide, and If a cross-head or horizontal bar secured centrallyto said bracket and provided at its ends with forwardly-extending arms j j, forming the fixed jaws of the garment clasps or holders.

j j represent a pair of movable or pivoted jaws, which co-operate, respectively, with the fixed jaws j and which are secured to a horizontal rock-shaft K. This shaft is supported at the outerends of a pair of supporting-arms 7a, which extend forwardly from opposite ends of a cross-bar 7a, secured to the cross-head I. The movable jaws are located on the under side of the fixed jaws j, and the rock-shaft forms a pivot whereby said jaws swing vertically toward and from the fixed jaws, the latter grasping the inserted garment when the movable jaws are swung upward, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, while releasing it when the jaws are allowed to saving down, as shown in Fig 3.

L is a trigger or catch whereby the movable jaws are held in their closed position and which is adapted to interlock with a retaining-arm an, extending upward from the rock-shaft K. This trigger is constructed in the form of a bell-crank lever pivoted to an arm n of the bracket I and having its lower horizontal arm provided with a shoulder 1, against which the outer end of the retaining- .arm on bears in the closed position of the movable jaws and which clears said arm and allows the rock-shaft to turn in the proper direction to open said jaws when the trigger is swung toward the casing. This trigger is operated by the following means: 0 is an upright rock-shaft turning in bearings 0, secured to the inner side of the casing and having a rock-arm 0 with which the upper arm of the trigger is connected by a rod p, extending through the front wall of the casing. q is a bell-crank lever pivoted to the inner side of the front wall of the casing by a transverse pin and having its upper arm con- 11 ected with the outer end of a rock-arm q, secured to the adjacent portion of the rockshaft, so that upon swinging the bell-crank on its pivot the rock-shaft is caused to turn in the proper direction to operate the trigger and release the j aw-carrying shaft.

R represents a treadle pivoted in the lower portion of the casing, preferably beside the treadle II, and r is a rod connecting the same with the lower arm of the bell-crank q,

whereby the latter is swung on its pivot upon depressing said treadle. arranged between the lower arm of the bellcrank lever q and a bracket r secured to the inner side of the casing, whereby said lever and the parts connected therewith are returned to their normal position upon releas ing the treadle.

In order to permit the upper arm of the upright rock-shaft to rise and fall with the slide and at the same time compel said arm to turn with the shaft in any position of the slide, the shaft is made fiat-sided and the arm is arranged to slide on the shaft and is provided in its hub with a fiat-sided opening, which receives the shaft.

The horizontal jaw-shaft is formed at its ends with handles for turning it in engaging its retaining-arm with the trigger. This shaft is preferably provided with pins or stops k which are adapted to strike against lugs k arranged on the supporting-ar1ns 7t, when the r is a return-spring jaws are opened sulficiently, thereby preventing the jaws from swinging into an inconvenient position.

The operation of my improved coat-adjuster is as follows: The slide is first drawn down, so as to bring the garment-clasping jaws a short distance below the shoulders, the slide being automatically held in this position by the detent g. The collar of the coat is then clamped between the jaws of the elasps with the inside of the garment toward the person. This is done by turning the rock shaft from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 0, whereby the retainin g-arm of said rock-shaft interlocks with the trigger L. The coat being new attached to the slide, the arms are slipped into the sleeves, and the treadle II is at the same time dopressed, whereby the slide is released from the detent g and the weight permitted to raise the slide, thus lifting the coat and drawing it upon the shoulders. As soon as the coat has been lifted into place, the other treadle It is depressed, which causes the trigger to release the retaining-arm of the rock-shaft, allowing the jaws carried by the latter to swing open and releasing the'coat. These jaws drop by gravity into their open position, and there fore require no attention on the part of the user, except in clamping the garment. The upper jaws of the clasps possess sufficient elasticity to permit the insertion of garmenis of different thicknesses.

In order to avoid a premature release of the garment in case the user should inad vertently operate the clasp-releasing treadle before operating the detent-releasin g treadle, a guard or stop is employed, which renders the clasp-releasing treadle ineffective until after the slide or carrier has been raised. In the construction shown in the drawings this stop consists of an abrupt bar or rail S, scoured to one of the walls of the casing and standing in the path of rotary movement of the sliding rockarm 0 when the slide is in its depressed position and the treadle R is released. In the latter position of the parts the sliding rock-arm bears against the stoprail, as shown in Fig. 4, and the rock-shaft cannot therefore turn and the treadle which operates the rock-shaft cannot be depressed; but as soon as the slide is released and raised sufficiently to allow the sliding rock-arm to clear the stop-rail, as shown in Fig. 2, the rock-shaft is free to turn, permitting its actuating-treadle to be depressed for releasing the garment-clasps.

The rack-bar of the slide permits the latter to be released at any desired height after the sliding rock-arm 0 has cleared the stop-rail, thus adapting the device to persons of different statures.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with the supporting frame or case and a vertically-movable carrier, of a garment holder or clasp mounted on said carrier, a lifting device operating to raise the carrier, a catch whereby the carrier is retained in its depressed position, and a treadle for releasing said catch, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a supporting frame or case and a vertically movable slide guided thereon and provided with ratchet teeth, of a garment clasp or holder mounted on said slide, a lifting device connected with said slide, and a detent pawl engaging with the ratchet teeth of the slide, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a supporting frame or case and a vertically movable slide guided thereon and provided with ratchet teeth, a garment clasp or holder mounted on said slide, a lifting device connected with said slide, a detent pawl engaging with the ratchet teeth of the slide, and a treadle for releasing said detent, substantially as set forth.

at. The combination with a supporting frame or case and a vertically movable carrier arranged thereon, of a catch or detent engaging with said carrier, a lifting device whereby the carrier is automatically raised when released, a garment clasp mounted on said carrier, a locking device for holding said clasp in its closed position, and a releasing-treadle connected with said locking device, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a supporting frame or case and a vertically movable carrier, of a detent device engaging with said carrier, a lifting device whereby the carrier is automatically raised when released, a treadle for op-' erating said detent device, a garment clasp mounted on said carrier, a locking device for holding said clasp in its closed position and a releasing treadle connected with said locking device, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with asupporting frame or case and a vertically movable carrier, of a detent device engaging with said carrier, a lifting device tending to raise thecarrier, a treadle for releasing the detent device, a garment clasp mounted on the carrier and having a locking device for holding it in its closed position, a treadle controlling said locking device, and a stop whereby the treadle of said locking device is rendered inoperative in the depressed position of the carrier, substan tially as set forth.

7. The combination with a supporting frame or case and a vertically movable slide or carrier having detent and lifting devices, of a garment clasp mounted on said carrier, a catch or trigger for holding said clasp in its closed position, an actuating rock shaft having a sliding arm connected with said trigger, and a stop rail arranged in the path of rotary movement of said sliding arm in the depressed position of the carrier, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with a supportingframe and a vertically movable carrier having a movable garment-clamping jaw, of a catch or trigger for holding said jaw in its closed position, a rock shaft having an arm connected with said trigger, and an actuating device for turning said rock shaft, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with a supporting frame and a vertically movable carrier having a movable garment-clamping jaw, of a catch or trigger for holding said jaw in its closed position, an upright rock shaft having avertically sliding arm connected with said trigger, and an actuating device for turning said rock shaft, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination with a supporting frame and a vertically movable carrier having a garment-clamping jaw, of arock shaft j ournaled on said carrier and having a retaining arm and a jaw co-operating with said firstnamed jaw, a trigger or catch engaging with the retaining arm of said rock shaft, an upright rock shaft having an arm connected with said catch or trigger, an actuating lever for turning said upright rock shaft, and a treadle connected with said actuating lever, substantially as set forth. I

Witness my hand this 25th day of June, 1895.

\VILLIAM PARR.

Witnesses:

CHARLES SPEARS, CARL F. GEYER. 

